The Press., 1887-09-01
srAFFoRD,s MlNER4L sPRING.

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 THE Press recently made mention of the doings of the government geological survey, which, among other things, contains an ex- haustive report of the character and value of the mineral springs of the United States. In this report the mineral spring at Stafford is placed at the head of the list of Connecticut springs, some twelve in number, and in the classification it is designated as important, D being one of the comparatively few thus desig- nated In the last edition of the American Cyclopedia the article which treats of the mineral springs of the world divides them into eight distinct classes, and in the second class, chalybeate or ferrugimous springs, the spring at Stafford is mentioned as third in importance among the springs of the United States. The reportFof Prof. Shepard, pub lished in 1887, mentions the spring at Staf- ford as ''the most smportant in the state, D and the elaborate report of Dr. Walton, pub lished within 8 few years, makes mention of no Connecticut spring except the Stafford spring. A recent analysis of the Stafford mineral water has been made by one of the best known of American chemists, Prof. Nor ton, of the Massachusett Institute of Technol- ogy. This analysis Shows that, unlike many other springs, the mineral ingredients of the Stafford water have in 10 sense diminished. The analysis also resembles and compares fa- vorably with the analysis of other well-known waters, particularly with that of the Hathorn spring at Saratoga, the most famous mineral spring in America. Several of the ingredi- ents present in the Hathorn water are also contained in the Stafford water, while the other minerals are common to both waters, but exist in them in different chemical rela- tiens. Four of the minerals which are found in the Hathorn water are found in exactly the same relations in the Stafford water, while a fifth, silicon, exists in basic form in the Ha- thorn, but as an acid, and in this form exists in large proportions in the Stafford water.
 Prof. Norton, in his analysis, says ''the presence of so much phosphoric acid and silicic acid gives the water peculiar charac- ter, while the presence of so much sulphate of soda adds to it's value, and regard the water as very valuable"
 By comparison with the Hathorn water it is found that silicic acid, the first mentioned of the above ingredients, is nearly three times greater in the Stafford than in the Hathorn water, while phosphoric acid, the second compound mentioned, is more than fourteen times greater in the Stafford than in the Ha- thorn. Su1phate of sodium is also mentioned by Prof. Norton as being one of the valuable constituents which may exist in mineral wa- ter. Upon an examination of the analysis of Hathorn it is foun,f that this ingredient is only very faintly present in it, while about one-fourth of the entire mineral substance of the Stafford water is composed of this in- gredient.
 Bicarbonate of soda, another valuable min eral constituent, and on account of the pres ence of which great merit is claimed for the Hathorn water, is present also in good pro- portions in the Stafford water, while iron, an ingredient little sought after, and of compara lively no value in mineral water, is present in smaller quantity in Stafford than in Ha- thorn water. There is also close relation ship between these waters in regard to the character and quantity of other minerals, such as potassium, lime, alumina, &c.,, con- tained in them.
 The local patrons and other friends of the Stafford water have good reasons for holding strong faith in regards to it's long established curative qualities, but the fact that it so close ly resembles the famous Hathorn is an addi- tional reason for confidence in it's valuable The success of the Hathorn as a curative mineral water has been without precedent. There are more than thirty diff ferent mineral springs in Saratoga, many of which, as the Congress, Geyser, Seltzer, Vichy, and others, have worldwide reputation, yet so great has the celebrity of the Hathoru become that its sale of bottled water is great CT than that of all of the other mineral springs of Saratoga together. The Ha- thorn water has been approved by the most eminent medical men as valuable remedy for dyspepsia, inactions of the liver and kid neys, and especially as most salutary altera- tive in diseases of the blood and sl1n. The same properties, existing as they do, and in such similar relations in Stafford water, shows it to be deserving of public recognition but little inferior to the celebrated Hathorn